Joint Research Project: Basis for sustainable development of cities affected by mining and industrial processes - Modeling as an aid for land management using the city of Stassfurt as an example

Country / Region: Stassfurt area, Germany

Begin of project: October 1, 2004

End of project: July 31, 2008

Status of project: July 31, 2008

Subproject 1 of the Joint Research Project: Environmental geochemistry analysis of an urban area affected by mining operations and industrial contamination and development of a model to asses the extend of contamination, taking consideration the historical and current conditions

The complex geochemical conditions in the Stassfurt area were analyzed with respect to background values and anthropogenic input. A model was developed to characterize the extent of environmental contamination and to estimate the geogenic risk in the area. An interdisciplinary GIS-supported expert system was used for this purpose, providing the scientific basis for sustainable environmental management of the Stassfurt area. The updated land-use map is an essential tool for land management, yielding recommendations for reuse of fallow land and abandoned industrial sites. Due to the anthropogenic and geogenic contamination of the area, mechanical instability of the ground, formation of water-logged and flooded areas as a result of mining, sustainable land use is of extreme importance for the functioning of Stassfurt as a city.

Download: Poster: Environmental Geochemistry in Stassfurt

Promotion / document number:

0330536 (Subproject 1), 0330537 (Subproject 2)